RT Article
T1 Main thrust of the sentence(s) in 1 John 3
JF Neotestamentica
VO 41
IS 1
SP 97
OP 111
A1 Jung, Chang Wook
LA English
PB NTWSA
YR 2007
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1826578633
AB Most recent scholars agree that the main purpose of the sentence(s) in 1John 3:19-20 is to provide reassurance or encouragement to the hearts of believers when their hearts condemn them. Not surprisingly, most English versions translating the sentence(s) in these verses convey the same idea. Such scholarship assumes that since the entire epistle and the whole paragraph deal with the way to overcome believers' discouragement and fear, the main thrust of the passage cannot be a warning but must likewise encourage believers. The argument rests a priori upon this assumption rather than engaging in a close investigation of the sentence(s) in 1 John 3:19-20. This study demonstrates that a close grammatical analysis and contextual considerations render the majority view decidedly less plausible, while confirming the main thesis of the passage to be a stern warning issued to believers rather than supplying conventional 'encouragement.'
DO 10.10520/EJC83268